Just Their Kid
by theirbestchance
Summary: It's not like she'd really wanted to eat the berries, she'd just been so hungry, and they'd looked so yummy… Kid!Emma in Neverland.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Just playing, will put everything back when finished.

Authors' Note: We know it's been done, this is just our take. As requested.

It's not like she'd really wanted to eat the berries, she'd just been so hungry, and they'd looked so yummy…

But now Mommy and Daddy are angry, and yelling at Mr. Hook and Mr. Gold and Miss Regina.

All she can make out is "-temporary!" and "-want our daughter back!" over the shouting, but the second part makes her lower lip wobble, and before something inside can stop her she reaches out and tugs on Mommy's purple coat.

Immediately the shouting stops when the brunette looks down at her, and suddenly becoming the center of attention, she can't stop the tears that burn her eyes.

"I'm right here, Mommy, I didn't go anywhere. Please don't be mad."

Mommy looks like she's about to cry too, which makes Emma cry more, but suddenly two strong hands are lifting her up and she clings to her father as he wipes her tears away.

For some reason she feels like he shouldn't be so much bigger than her, but being hugged so close feels too nice so she ignores the feeling, especially when Mommy comes up and starts rubbing her head.

"Oh Emma, I'm not mad, I'm just upset. But not with you, never with you. Okay?"

She nods, reaching out, and her father hands her over, but as she glances back at him she frowns.

"Why you crying, Daddy? Are you upset too?"

He quickly moves a hand to his face, swiping at the water, but smiles when finished, "I'm not upset, sweetheart, just…sentimental."

"What's senta- sentam- What's that mean?" she asks back, her nose scrunching as she tries to untangle her tongue.

"It's when you're happy, but sad at the same time," Mommy explains, and Emma nods slowly, understanding.

"I know what that feels like. I've felt that way since you came back."

The words are hers, but for some reason they don't feel like something she'd normally say, and now her parents are trying not to cry again-

"I'm sorry! Forget I said it, please! I don't want to make you sentamental!"

"Honey, it's okay, we're okay," her mother tries to calm her, but it's Mr. Gold whom ultimately stops the emotional breakdown.

"As 'sentimental' as this family gathering is, I suggest we make camp for the night. The effects won't last for much longer than twenty-four hours, and I suspect the less time we spend reflecting on the might have been's, the better."

Her parents nod sadly, but all she hears is "camp".

"I've always wanted to go camping with you! Can we roast marshmallows?"

She hears her mother laugh, and watches her father smile, his hand grabbing her little foot under her extra long dress and starting to tickle her.

"Daddy! Stop!" she giggles, but his smile gets even bigger, taking her from Mommy and lifting her up to sit on his shoulders.

"Whoa!" she gasps at the change of scenery.

"Sorry, we don't have marshmallows, kiddo," she feels Daddy grip her legs to keep her from falling off, "But I'm sure we can figure something else out."

"Okay," she nods; resting her arms on his head as they all follow Mr. Hook to where he thinks will make the best camp.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we there yet? I'm hungry."

_To be continued…_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Just playing, will put everything back when finished.

Her tummy is making funny noises now, but everybody is busy making camp, and she's already asked about food, so she just sits there on the log Daddy placed her, swinging her legs impatiently.

And there's that other thing, like an itch she can't reach, something telling her she needs to keep moving, keep looking. But why? What does she need to find?

Finally she can't take it anymore, she has to do something. Maybe just a little walk. That should make the itch go away. She can go and be back before anybody misses her.

So sliding off the log, Emma tiptoes past the camp boundary and begins her walk, taking in all the strange flowers and green of the jungle. It really is pretty, but Mommy and Daddy got so upset about her eating those berries, so there must be other things to be careful of too.

Emma's so fascinated with by her surroundings, however, that she doesn't see the tree root catching a piece of her dress until it's too late.

She lands in a heap, and the tears come instantly, that part of herself she can't quite recognize is ashamed of the crying, but she manages to calm herself down and inspect where her one leg hit hard.

There's no blood, so she's happy about that, when she hears something that makes the blood inside of her freeze.

"EMMA! EMMA, ANSWER ME!"

Mommy.

"EMMA! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Daddy.

They sound so scared, and suddenly the trees and flowers around her don't look so pretty or familiar, and she gets scared too.

And she hears something else, a low growl, coming from behind the bushes ahead of her, and what her imagination creates makes her forget all about her bruised leg as she starts to run in the direction of her parents' voices.

"Mommy! Daddy!" she cries back, hoping to hear them call closer.

But Emma hears nothing, and she's more than scared now, she's terrified. She can almost feel the breath of the growling monster at her neck, and she tries to run faster, unable to stop the tears rolling down her cheeks.

Only when her legs can take no mores does she hide behind a tree, making herself as small as possible, wishing and hoping the monster won't find her.

"Mommy….Daddy…please find me."

"Emma!"

Instantly her head snaps up, rubbing at her eyes, barely believing the sight in front of her.

"Mommy!" she's up and running in seconds, right into her mother's waiting arms.

"Oh Emma," she feels her mother's tears fall on her own head, but she only holds on tighter.

"Don't you ever wander off like that again, you hear me? God, we'd thought the worst! You're not hurt are you?"

Mommy pulls her back, looking her over, but Emma only shakes her head.

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to walk-"

"Snow!"

"Charming, I found her! Over here!"

Daddy comes bursting from a thick bunch of trees, sprinting for them as Mommy picks her up.

"Emma!"

His arms come around them both, worried eyes taking her in.

"She's okay, Charming, just frightened."

"That goes for double for me," he sighs, pressing a kiss to Emma's forehead.

"Don't do that to us again, okay, kiddo?"

"I promise, Daddy," she nods, happy to rest her head on Mommy's chest, a hand holding on tight to her shirt.

"Good, now let's get back to camp. Gold should have caught us something to eat by now."

"Burgers?" she perks up at the mention of food, frowning when both her parents laugh.

"Not quite, Miss Swan," another voice interjects, Emma spotting Miss Regina over her mother's shoulder as she emerges from the jungle.

"Regina? I thought you were still at camp," Mommy replies, frowning herself.

But Miss Regina only raises an eyebrow; "Surely you don't plan on lecturing me about taking walks unattended as well?"

"Never crossed our minds," Daddy shakes his head, "C'mon, let's get going."

Mommy doesn't put her down on the walk back, but Emma doesn't care. Even the part of her she doesn't understand is happy to be held. Nothing bad will happen to her as long as she's in Mommy's arms, that much she knows is true.

_To be continued…_


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Just playing, will put everything back when finished.

It's true, they don't have marshmallows, but Mommy finds some chocolate in her backpack and promises it for dessert so it's the next best thing. Even the meat Mr. Gold's brought back for them isn't so bad, but it takes a lot of coaxing for her to try it.

"It still tastes funny," she grumbles, making a face as she takes another bite.

"I have to agree with the girl," Miss Regina scowls, making Emma giggle.

Regina looks surprised, but a small smile replaces her scowl, and Emma feels her Mommy hide her smile against her hair.

She's sitting close to Mommy in a "time out", a punishment for wandering off. She doesn't complain about this after being so scared and seeing Mommy or Daddy so scared.

As she finishes eating she hears Mommy put down her own food, however, and an arm comes around her, the hand attached to it offering a square piece of chocolate.

In seconds she snatches it and bites off a chunk, feeling the candy melt on her tongue, closing her eyes as the wonderful taste hits.

"Yummy!"

"Quite the disciplinarians, I see," Mr. Hook speaks up, "The child wanders off and you reward her with sweets."

"Mind your own business, pirate," she opens her eyes to see her father growl, "We've all been through enough for one day."

The arm Mommy has placed around her tightens, pulling her closer, and her eyes dart between Daddy and Mr. Hook, not liking that she doesn't know what will happen.

"Charming," her mother interrupts, their eyes meeting and somehow saying lots, because Daddy relaxes.

"Sorry, kiddo," he whispers, scooting closer to wrap his arm around her and Mommy.

"It's okay, Daddy," she whispers back, leaning against him as she takes another bite of chocolate.

Luckily the rest of dinner isn't so tense, and Mommy even shows her how to go to the bathroom in the jungle when they're done. She decides, though, that that's one part of camping she doesn't like so much. But when they get back Mr. Gold says they should get some sleep, and as they all settle down around the fire she's sandwiched between her parents. This, she definitely likes about camping, and the feeling gives her the courage to ask for something else she's always wanted.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can I have a bedtime story?"

For a moment her mother stills, her eyes becoming shiny again, and Emma wants to kick herself.

"It's okay if you don't, I just-"

"No Emma, it's fine," Snow interrupts, cupping Emma's face with a gentle hand, "Of course you can have a bedtime story."

An annoyed groan can be heard from Mr. Hook's side of the fire, but her parents ignore the sound, and Emma pushes ahead.

"Can it be about before I was born? Back in the Forest?"

"I think we can manage that," her father smiles, "How about the story of when I had to ride all over our kingdom finding food your mommy craved while she was pregnant with you?"

"Okay!" she snuggles deeper into the purple jacket Mommy had given her for a blanket, eagerly waiting.

And she isn't disappointed as Daddy starts, "Once upon a time…"

_To be continued…_


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Just playing, will put everything back when finished.

"She's beautiful, isn't she? Our baby girl…"

"She is, but Snow-"

"I know, I know. But can't we appreciate this?"

She's not really awake, but she's not really asleep either. It's strange, just like what Snow and David are talking about. Wait…Snow and David? Mom and Dad. Mommy and Daddy.

"Of course we can, but you can't tell me you don't miss her."

"Like crazy."

"Me too."

She's right here. How can they miss her? But is she? Is she really there? Her head hurts.

"Mommy?"

"Emma? How'd you sleep, honey?"

"Okay, but my head hurts."

"Well, that doesn't sound good," Daddy frowns, picking her up purple coat and all. Her arms loop around his neck automatically, holding on tight as she presses her face into his chest.

"I'm going to talk to Gold and Hook, find out if this is normal," Mommy whispers to Daddy, pressing a kiss to the back of her head before getting up and walking off.

"What's wrong with me?" she whimpers, clinging tighter as Daddy moves a hand up and down her back.

"We're going to find out, sweetheart. You don't have to worry, okay?"

She doesn't like how Daddy's voice sounds so shaky, but nods all the same.

He's about to say something else, however, when the noise happens.

Angry screaming and sharp fast sounds surround them, and she screams too, feeling Daddy hold her closer.

"Charming! Ambush!"

Mommy, Emma realizes, and she starts to cry, especially when Daddy suddenly gets up and puts her down in a hollow of a big tree.

"Daddy!" She grabs at him, but his hands are stronger than hers and he makes her let go.

"Stay right there, Emma, and don't make a sound!"

"But Daddy!"

"Everything's going to be okay, I promise! I need to help Mommy, just stay there!"

"Daddy, please!"

But he's gone, and the sharp fast sounds she realizes are arrows pelting the ground, and the screaming hasn't stopped. Mommy and Daddy are out there, and she's hiding. Daddy told her to stay put, but they could be hurt! They could be…

NO!

They can't leave her again! They can't! She has to do something, anything! But what?

Her head feels even worse now, like something is trying to dig its way in. Or maybe dig its way back in?

_Yes_, a voice from that part of her she doesn't understand whispers, and she shivers, crying.

But why?

_You know why, kid. We're the same._

How?

_The berries, they changed us. But time's up, and Mom and Dad need our help._

Will we change back?

_Yes._

But-

_They need us, kid, all of us. You want to save them? This is how we do it._

She takes a deep breath, thinking, but finally nods.

Okay.

And with that permission it bursts forth in her head, she doesn't fight it, and finally she understands.

She's not a little girl named Emma, she's a grown-up named Emma Swan, she has a son they're here to find. She's the product of true love, and she has magic, magic like nobody's ever seen before.

Her mother's jacket starts to float on her shoulders, catching the glow that surrounds her, pure and true. Emerging from the hollow arrows rain down on her small body, but they do not touch her.

She finally reaches the center of their camp, and raises her hands. The glow intensifies, and the command that roars from her throat is not her child self's.

"GO AWAY!"

A flash of light bursts from her body, and Emma feels every surrounding enemy blown back by the force. But encompassed in that light she also feels her bones and muscles stretch, her hips widen and chest expand, and once the change is complete she falls to the ground in a heap.

A very grown-up and very unconscious Emma Swan is who her parents find when they come running back to camp, her mother's jacket still covering her.

_To be continued…_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Just playing, will put everything back when finished.

It's worse than the worst hangover she's ever experienced. Everything hurts, right down to her damn teeth.

But there's something else…she's being held, well, her upper half is anyway. Two warm, strong arms are wrapped around her, her head moving with the breath of the person, and what's more, she knows those arms. So she forces herself to wake up, wincing as her eyes blink against the light.

"Emma?" Her father's face hovers over hers, blurry though it may be.

"Hey," she croaks, hearing a sigh of relief from her mother as she adjusts her grip, helping her sit up, but keeping Emma braced against her for support.

She should push her away, because she's perfectly fine thank you very much, but the pain hasn't lessened, and she's never felt so weak in her life. And it's not only that-

She doesn't want to push Snow away because she _believes. _She believes in the love, the adoration her parents feel towards her, like she's never believed before.

So when her father's face reappears and a cup is pressed gently to her to lips she doesn't hesitate. Never has water tasted this good.

"Easy, Emma, slow sips," David cautions, a hand smoothing her hair as she begrudgingly obeys.

Maybe she should be more freaked out at how easily that belief allows her to accept their affection, but things have changed. Lots of things have changed.

Because she remembers.

Riding on her father's shoulders, being spoiled with chocolate by her mother, being held by both of them as they told her a bedtime story. It's all there in vivid color.

Is she embarrassed by her kid self's antics? Hell yes. But doesn't she regret any of it? Hell no.

"Emma, how are you feeling?" Snow asks, and she doesn't have to see her face to know a worried frown is present.

"Like I pulled off some major magic to save all your asses," she sighs, taking a deep breath before adding, "And you need to know, kid me was lucky to have you."

Instantly, she feels her mother tense behind her and her father still.

"Emma…how much-" David starts, but Emma finishes.

"All of it."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh. But you know what?"

"What?" Snow asks.

"You guys are great parents. I'm glad- I'm glad I got to spend some time with you, just as your kid."

For the second time in a very short time Emma finds herself sandwiched between her parents, and she holds on to her father tight as her mother hugs them both.

"But please tell me you kept my grown-up pants. I can't parade around Neverland in a shirt and a jacket."

They laugh.

"Yes, Emma. We do have your pants, and your boots," David continues to chuckle, reaching for Snow's pack and opening it to reveal the wanted items.

"Thank god. And where's everybody else?"

"The pirate, the imp, and the queen? They went to see if they couldn't round up a few of our attackers. Get some answers."

Emma scoffs.

"That sounds like some twisted kid's book, which considering our lives, isn't far from the truth."

"Perhaps," David sighs, but then meets her eyes, "But perhaps we can twist the story in our favor?"

"Perhaps we already have," Snow nods, and Emma can't resist smiling at the confidence in their voices.

"Okay then. Help me up. We gotta get going if we're gonna twist anything."

They hover after helping her to her feet, but before she can tease them about being overprotective her knees shake then buckle, and they both quickly wrap an arm around her.

"Emma!"

"You okay?"

"I'm okay. Thanks Mom, Dad."

She says the words, but somehow they all know who really says them, and after a moment her parents hold on tighter and help her to a private spot to get dressed.

They have work to do. They have to catch up with the others, they have to find Henry.

_Let's get'um_, a little voice inside her agrees.


End file.
